The Second Half: Blaze Returns

The locker room was silent except for the ragged breathing of exhausted players and the distant roar of the crowd beyond the steel walls. The first half had ended 0–0 against them, and though Eternal Era had fought hard, the Giants' brutal defense had made every pass a war.

Jason stood before the tactical board, one hand braced against it, the other holding his whistle loosely. His expression was unreadable. "You all know what's wrong," he said finally. "You're moving, but not flowing. You're fighting, but not feeling."

He turned toward the benches. Blaze sat there, elbows on his knees, gaze low. His hair clung to his forehead with sweat not from play, but from tension.

Jason's eyes softened slightly. "How's the aura?" he asked quietly.

Blaze exhaled through his nose. "Stable enough, Coach. Not perfect… but I can handle it."

"Not enough," Jason replied. "Stable isn't safe."

"I'm not asking to start a war," Blaze said, lifting his head, eyes glowing faintly red. "I just want to help my team."

The room stilled. Even Lionel looked up. Anastasia, seated across from Blaze, studied him in silence. There was something new in his aura not just the fire that once burned out of control, but a kind of rhythm, like a heartbeat syncing with the pulse of the team.

Jason studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "You'll get your chance. But if I see even a flicker of instability, you're coming straight off. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Jason straightened and faced the squad again. "Second half play with spirit. Anastasia, hold the right like your life depends on it. Scarlet, I need you aggressive on the left. Lionel, anchor the back. We push as one."

Anastasia stood, her long white ponytail swaying. "We won't let them through."

Jason gave a single nod. "Let's finish this."

The second half began like a storm.

The Giants came out swinging, their forward line powered by Iron Vein Flow. Every clash sent shockwaves through the field. Eternal Era fought back tooth and nail, but the pressure was relentless.

By the 60th minute, the score still stood at 0–0.

Anastasia slid into a perfect tackle near the edge of the box, sparks flaring from her boots as her Bronze Wind Aura shimmered to life. She turned defense into offense instantly, passing diagonally toward Scarlet on the opposite wing.

Scarlet burst forward, cutting through two defenders with an explosive twist, but her cross deflected off a Giant's chest. The rebound spun out of reach.

On the bench, Blaze's aura flickered unconsciously with every surge of energy on the field. He could feel them—every heartbeat, every strain of emotion. His Cosmic Telepathy connected him to their rhythm like invisible chords.

Jason's jaw tightened. He could sense it too. The team was giving everything, but the balance was off. They were missing the spark.

"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath.

Blaze rose slowly. "Coach."

Jason didn't turn. "You're not ready."

"Then let me burn through it," Blaze said quietly. "You told me to stabilize it—I have. Let me show you."

Jason finally faced him, eyes sharp. For a moment, the old mentor and the once reckless prodigy simply stared at each other.

Then Jason nodded once. "Fine. Warm up."

The assistant coach barely had time to relay the substitution before the crowd exploded. The holographic board flashed:

> Substitution: Blaze #9 IN → Diego #11 OUT

The air itself seemed to tremble as Blaze stripped off his jacket. His aura ignited faintly not the chaotic inferno it once was, but a steady, pulsing flame that shimmered gold and crimson. He looked toward Anastasia on the field. Their eyes met briefly; she gave a small, approving nod.

He jogged onto the pitch.

The change was instant.

Blaze's presence spread through the team like oxygen. Every movement sharpened. Every pass gained rhythm.

At the 67th minute, Lionel intercepted a long ball and fired it toward Blaze. With a smooth flick of his foot, Blaze trapped it mid-air, spun, and sent it wide to Anastasia, who'd darted up the right line.

"Go!" Blaze shouted.

Anastasia sprinted, cutting through the defense with effortless precision. The bronze light around her shimmered like wings. When a Giant charged to block her, Blaze's Cosmic Telepathy flared—he felt the man's intention before he even moved.

"Left!" Blaze called.

She feinted right, then cut left just as the tackle came. Perfect timing. She crossed it back into the box, where Scarlet was waiting. The shot came fast—but the goalkeeper deflected it. The rebound flew high.

Blaze was already moving.

He vanished from his spot a blur of Elemental Speed, appearing mid-air. The flames around him flickered into form, wrapping his body in molten light. He twisted and fired a volley that cracked through the air.

The ball hit the bar and ricocheted out.

The entire crowd groaned.

Blaze landed on his feet, sweat streaming down his face. He exhaled, steadying the fire in his chest. The Aura Flames burned hotter, hungrier—but still under control.

"Close," Anastasia said, jogging back beside him.

"Not close enough," Blaze replied, forcing a grin. "We finish this."

The minutes bled away. The Giants grew desperate, fouling harder, pressing deeper. Eternal Era matched them, tooth and nail. The pitch became a storm of light and sound—techniques flaring, aura trails colliding, bodies colliding like thunderclaps.

In the 82nd minute, Ronan Jae, the Giants' captain, charged into Blaze shoulder-first, sending him tumbling.

The crowd gasped.

Blaze hit the ground hard, rolling twice before catching himself. His flames flared up reflexively wild, golden, trembling. The referee's whistle blew, but Blaze barely heard it. Pain shot through his ribs, but he stood.

Anastasia was there instantly. "You okay?"

He smiled faintly through gritted teeth. "Been hit worse."

Her brows drew together. "You don't have to prove—"

"I'm not proving," he said, meeting her gaze. "I'm remembering."

Something in his tone softened her expression. "Then remember this," she said, lowering her voice. "You're not alone anymore."

Her hand brushed his briefly as she turned back toward formation. A small spark—literal and emotional—passed between them. His flames steadied instantly.

The whistle blew for the free kick. The crowd chanted his name again and again, a rhythmic heartbeat echoing across the stands.

> "Blaze! Blaze! Blaze!"

He positioned himself behind the ball, thirty meters out. The wall of defenders looked like iron statues.

Lionel called out from behind, "Don't force it—"

But Blaze didn't answer.

He closed his eyes. His Cosmic Telepathy expanded, feeling every heartbeat on the field. His Elemental Speed thrummed through his limbs, the air bending subtly around his body. And at his core, the Aura Flames pulsed, synchronized perfectly with his breathing.

One heartbeat.

Two.

Three—

He moved.

The kick came like thunder. The flames spiraled around the ball, twisting mid-air in a serpent-like pattern—the signature of Jörmungandr Strike. The ball screamed toward the corner, dipped at the last second, and slammed into the post—

Then rebounded.

The crowd's roar choked off in collective shock.

But Blaze was already there. He'd read the rebound before it even happened.

Cosmic foresight. Elemental motion. Aura instinct.

Everything fused in that instant.

He leapt, twisting mid-air, and unleashed the Serpent Fang Volley—a spiraling strike that curved through the goalkeeper's reach and slammed into the net with explosive force.

GOAL.

The stadium detonated in sound.

Blaze landed on his knees, flames cascading off his back in shimmering arcs. The scoreboard blazed: 0–1 Eternal Era.

Jason exhaled sharply, jaw tight but eyes proud. He turned toward his assistant. "Told you. The kid's back."

Lionel charged in and lifted Blaze off the ground in a crushing hug. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Scarlet whooped. "Now that's a comeback!"

Anastasia jogged toward him, slower, quieter. The flames around Blaze dimmed to a gentle glow as he turned to face her.

"Guess I owe you," he said.

She smiled softly. "You already paid it back."

They stood there for a moment, the noise of the crowd fading behind them, eyes locked, two warriors who'd fought the same battle from different sides of the field. Then Jason's whistle cut through the haze.

"Back in formation! We're not done until it's over!"

The final minutes passed like lightning. The Giants threw everything forward, but Eternal Era's defense—anchored by Anastasia—was iron. She read every advance, redirected every strike. Her Bronze Wind Aura shimmered brilliantly as she made the final clearance into the stands.

The whistle blew.

Full time: Eternal Era 1 – Giants 0.

The crowd erupted in a tsunami of cheers. Blaze raised his hands skyward, feeling the warmth of the flames rise one last time. They didn't burn anymore, they breathed.

He whispered quietly, "For you, Mom."

Anastasia joined him, shoulder brushing his. "For her," she echoed.

The stadium lights dimmed slightly as the team gathered. Jason walked over, resting a firm hand on Blaze's shoulder. "You learned control," he said softly. "That's worth more than the win."

Blaze smiled.

Jason grunted, half a smile tugging at his lips. "Then maybe you're finally becoming the striker this team needs."

As the team lifted Blaze in celebration, the lights of the stadium reflected off his calm, golden aura. It no longer raged it shined.

And somewhere in the stands, under the endless galactic dome, the faint shimmer of a star pulsed just a little brighter.

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